Meet AMD’s Latest Graphics Card
AMD has rolled out the Radeon RX 7600 XT, a graphics card that looks a lot like its predecessor, the RX 7600, but with a twist. The new model features a slight increase in GPU clock speed and doubles the memory from 8GB to 16GB. This power-up comes with a price hike, though, bringing the cost from $269 to $329.
Who’s It For?
The Radeon RX 7600 XT caters to a specific crowd: those who fret over having only 8GB of GPU memory but don’t feel the urge to spring for a higher-end card to future-proof their setup. The $60 extra for double the memory seems fair, especially considering the price point of its predecessors and competitors.
Performance: A Slight Edge
Don’t expect a revolution; the RX 7600 XT offers modest performance enhancements thanks to its increased clock speeds. Tests reveal marginal improvements, though the added memory does shine in certain scenarios. Still, the new card doesn’t shake up the competition in the mid-range market, although it does smooth over some of the original RX 7600’s rough edges.
Specs and Speeds
AMD’s spec sheet touts a 9.8% increase in game clock speed over the regular 7600 and a 3.8% boost in clock speed. Real-world testing confirms these modest gains, with performance bumps in the low-single-digit percentage range for most games at both 1080p and 1440p resolutions.
Ray-Tracing and Memory Intensive Games
Ray-tracing titles like Cyberpunk and Returnal benefit a bit more from the new card’s specs, showing higher performance improvements. However, the RX 7600 XT still doesn’t quite compete with Nvidia’s RTX 4060 in ray-tracing performance at comparable settings.
Forza Horizon 5: A Clear Winner
The most significant gains were seen in Forza Horizon 5, where the 16GB RX 7600 XT left its 8GB counterpart in the dust at 1440p resolution, boasting a 28% performance increase that jumped to nearly 62% with FSR on. This showcases the impact of the extra memory in memory-hungry scenarios, though such dramatic improvements are not the norm across all titles.
Final Thoughts
The Radeon RX 7600 XT is a welcome addition to AMD’s lineup for those seeking more memory without breaking the bank. While the performance gains may be marginal for many games, the increased memory capacity could be a game-changer for users running more demanding titles. It’s a step up from its predecessor without straying too far from its roots.